Modular shelving and furniture

ABSTRACT

The invention is directed to a modular type of construction for expansible tables and shelving, the construction being formed solely from a plurality of identical units wherein each of said units may be easily, quickly and individually engaged and removed for attaining and altering the surface capacity of said tables and shelving.

United States Patent Murcia [451 June 13, 1972 MODULAR SHELVING AND [56]7 References Cited FURNITURE UNlTED STATES PATENTS Iny entor; AlfonsoMurcia Avenue Latimer x Newyork, 432 2,919,817 l/l960 Maslow 108/1 llFilgd: 7, Primary Examiner-limes C. Mitchell Anomey-Alexander Mencher 21Appl. No.2 35,332 [57] ABSTRACT 1 The invention is directed to a modulartype of construction for [52] U.S. Cl ..l08/lll, 46/28, 108/153, sibl tbles and shelving [hg construction being formed 211/148- 211/177 solelyfrom a plurality of identical units wherein each of said [5 l] Int. Cl...A47b 3/00 it m be ea il quickly and individually engaged and F Md 0!Semh removed for attaining and altering the surface capacity of said46/28, 30, 31, 25; 2ll/l77, 182, 148; l08/lll, 153

tables and shelving.

PATENTEDJUN13 I972 3,669,033

sum 10F 2 INVENTOR. ALFONSO MURCIA BY FIG. 4 v

ATTORNEY PATENTEDJun 13 I972 v SHEET 2 OF 2 ALEONSO MURCIA INVENTORATTORNEY MODULAR SI-IELVING AND FURNITURE Shelving, tables and othersurface type articles of modular components assembleable by theretaileror user has been known. However, the related modulesare of differentconstruction and cannot be readily and flexibly interconnected to form asingleor unitized assembly of any selective and alterable size andcapacity. A primary object of the invention is to provide modulararticles in which all the units or components are identical instructul'e. 1

Another object of the invention is to provide saidmodular articleswherein the 'units or modules are flexibly interconnected to form asingle or unitized assembly of selective extensibility and design.

Another object of the invention is to provide modular articles of thetype stated which, when assembled will have the appearance and finish ofhigh-quality products but will berelatively economical in. cost.

Further objects of the invention are to provide articles of the typestated having single and identical modules which are capable of beingeasily and rapidly assembledand disassembled without'skilled labor,tools and extraneous parts.

These objects and other incidental ends and advantages of I theinventionwill hereinafter appear in the progress of the disclosure and aspointedout in'the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings (two sheets): I

FIG. 1 is a side view in elevation of the module or unit forming themodular article of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a rear face view in elevation of said module or unit;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view in perspective showing onecorneras at numeral 21 of a modular article formed of a top, anintermediate and side modules;

FIG. 4 is a front view in elevation showing a form of table and/orshelving formed of ten structurally identical modules;

FIG. 5 is'a sectional thereof, and

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary and enlarged view in perspectiveshowingengagement of the'spaceddouble-rail components of four modules(absent the panel members of the modules) at the intersection indicatedgenerally at numeral 22 in FIG. 4.

-In accordance with the invention and the preferred form, the modulefrorriwhich the modular structure'is formed is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.Thus, the module comprises a suitably shaped panel such as rectangularpanel 10 suitably mounted on a framework. The frameworkf'compriseslongitudinal side members each in the form of a double-rail 12-13 joinedin parallel and spaced relationship and connected by similar, spaced,intermediate and transverse single rails l4, l5 and 16. As shown, eachof the rails 14,15 and 16 at the ends thereof extend into, fit. betweenand are connected as by brazing, spotwelding or other means ofaffixation to the spaced double-rails 12-13, thereby securingsimultaneously the spaced relationship of each double rail and theconnection of the longitudinal side membersof the framework. v

The upper coplanar faces of rails 14, 15 and 16 serve as the support forpanel 10 and to which sidepanel 10 is suitably connected by any-suitablemeans such as by rivets or screws 17 as seen'in FIG. 2. The inner facesof each of the doublerails 12-13 of the framework are provided withaligned and transverse grooves 18, the bottom walls thereof being squarein shape, said grooves being formed withand on each side of the ends ofthe rails l4, l5 and 16 for purposes of connecting intermediate modulesas shelving (see FIG. 3) between end modules as will appear. Furthermoreeach of the longitudinal double-rails 12-13 adjacent to and below theends thereof are formed with coplanar, aligned and transverse grooves onopposite faces, bottom walls of said grooves being substantially view ofFIG. 2 across the plane 5-5 v As shown in FIG.2, panel 10 of the modulealong the longitudinal edges is disposed inwardly of double-rails 12-13,while the transverse edges are parallel with the base of each of theshanks 19. Panel 10 may be of any suitable material such as wood, metal,composition or mesh, and preferably is of a thickness adapted to lieflush with the rails 13 of the double.- rails 12-13 of the module.Moreover, double-rails 12-13 and rails 14, 15 and 16 are all shownsquareincross-section, of substantially same and suitablecross-sectional dimensions to sustain required load and pressure and maybe formed of any material having suitable strength'and resilientflexibility such as brass, copper, aluminum, plastic or other materials.

From the module above described for purposes of illustrating theinvention, regular and combined end tables with shelving, expansibleshelving per se useful for storing and exhibiting merchandise or asexpansible bookshelving, are assembleable from a plurality of themodules above described.

In FIG. 3 is shown themanner of an assembly of modules representing thecomer 21 of .the modular article shown in FIG. 4. The top horizontalmodule engages end or side modules by the engagement of respectiveT-formations (shank l9 and cap 20) at the ends of rail components 12ofthe double-rails 12-13, the rail components 12 of the top module beingdisposed inside of the rail components 12 of the side modules. Resilientand firm engagement 'of the T-formations 19 and 20 is made possible bothby flexibility of rail portions 12 about transverse rails 14 or 15 andby slight yieldability of the T formations particularly at the capareas. The intermediate shelf shown at comer 21 in FIG. 3 is afforded bya horizontal module installed prior to installation of the top modulebetween two end modules. Saidv intermediate shelf or module engages atthe end T-forma'tions of the double-rails 12-13 the parallel and spacedgrooves 18 of the rail component 12 of double-rails 12-13 of the endmodules. Said spaced grooves 18 are adjacent to the ends of transverserails 14 15 or 16V of the end modules as described. As shown, engagementof the intermediate shelf is adjacent transverse rail 16, but engagementmay also take place adjacent other transverse rails 14 and 15. I s

FIG. 6 shows how additional modules are assembled both vertically andhorizontallyto attain an article such as shown in FIG. 4 as at theintersection, indicated by numeral 22. In FIG. 6, the double-rail 12-13of the top module of FIG. 3 is indicated generally by numeral 23, andthe double-rail 12-13 of the end module of FIG. 3 is indicated generallyby numeral 24. The double-rail 12-13 of the additional or extendedhorizontal module is indicated generally by numeral25 and thedouble-rail 12-13 of additional vertical module is indicated generallyby numeral 26. v 7

Thus, the single T-formation of rail component 12 of horizontal moduleextension 25engages from the inside of single T-formation of railcomponent 1301' the end module 24 while the double T-formation of thevertical or end module extension 26 engages respectively from theoutside of the single upper T-formation of the rail component 13 of topmodule 23 and the single and aligned T-formation of the rail component13 of the horizontal module extension 25 aligned with the top module 23.

It is to be noted from FIG. 6 that the double-rails 12-13 of allhorizontal modules, including the intermediate or shelving modules, arealigned and are disposed inside of the doublerails 12-13 of the verticalmodules; while the double-rails 12-13 of the vertical or end modules arealso aligned. Moreover, the depth of the grooves described forinterconnection of the parts is variable dependent upon dimensions ofthe rails and the loads to be supported.

Further added extensions of vertical and horizontal modules follow thetype andorder of engagement above described. As shown particularly inFIG. 6, the outer transverse edges of the groove walls forming each ofthe shanks 19 are rounded as at 19' and 20 to facilitate entry ofengageable T-formations and to prevent damage afforded by sharp edges.

It is understood that minor changes and variations in the dimensions,surface finishes, shapes and materials of the parts of the invention maybe resorted to. i

I claim:

l. A modular article consisting of a plurality of resiliently anddemountably interconnected modules each of same size and structure, eachmodule comprising a rectangular framework having spaced intermediatetransverse single rail members and having longitudinal lateral members,each of said lateral members consisting of connected spaced and parallelrail members, the ends of said transverse single rail members beingsecured to each of said longitudinal lateral members, a panel member forsaid framework mounted on the transverse single rail members, jointingmeans formed adjacent the ends of each rail member of the connectedspaced and parallel rail members, whereby each pair of spaced andopposite vertically disposed modules are adapted to be demountablyinterconnected with a horizontally disposed module therebetween atportions of respective jointing means and whereby vertically andhorizontally disposed and aligned modules are adapted to be demountablyinterconnected at portions of respective jointing means, each rail ofthe connected spaced and parallel rail members having formed therewith aseries of intermediate jointing means, the intermediate jointing meansof any pair of vertically disposed, spaced and opposite modules beingdemountably engagable with the end jointing means of an intermediate andhorizontally disposed module to serve as shelving and reinforcement forsaid vertical modules.

2. A modular article as set forth in claim 1 wherein the singletransverse rail members and the connected spaced and parallel railmembers have substantially same transverse crosssectional dimensionsintermediate the ends thereof and are rectangular in cross-section.

3. A modular article as set forth in claim 1 wherein the ends of saidtransverse single rail members penetrate the spacing between each pairof said spaced and parallel rail members, said parallel spaced membersbeing connected thereat.

4. A modular article as set forth in claim 1 wherein the singletransverse rail members and the connected spaced and parallel railmembers have substantially same transverse crosssectional dimensionsintermediate the ends thereof and are rectangular in cross-section andwherein the ends of said single rail members penetrate the spacingbetween each pair of said spaced and parallel rail members, saidparallel spaced members being connected thereat.

5. A modular article as set forth in claim 1 wherein said jointing meanscomprises aligned grooves on opposite faces of the parallel railmembers.

1. A modular article consisting of a plurality of resiliently anddemountably interconnected modules each of same size and structure, eachmodule comprising a rectangular framework having spaced intermediatetransverse single rail members and having longitudinal lateral members,each of said lateral members consisting of connected spaced and parallelrail members, the ends of said transverse single rail members beingsecured to each of said longitudinal lateral members, a panel member forsaid framework mounted on the transverse single rail members, jointingmeans formed adjacent the ends of each rail member of the connectedspaced and parallel rail members, whereby each pair of spaced andopposite vertically disposed modules are adapted to be demountablyinterconnected with a horizontally disposed module therebetween atportions of respective jointing means and whereby vertically andhorizontally disposed and aligned modules are adapted to be demountablyinterconnected at portions of respective jointing means, each rail ofthe connected spaced and parallel rail members having formed therewith aseries of intermediate jointing means, the intermediate jointing meansof any pair of vertically disposed, spaced and opposite modules beingdemountably engagable with the end jointing means of an intermediate andhorizontally disposed module to serve as shelving and reinforcement forsaid vertical modules.
 2. A modular article as set forth in claim 1wherein the single transverse rail members and the connected spaced andparallel rail members have substantially same transverse cross-sectionaldimensions intermediate the ends thereof and are rectangular incross-section.
 3. A modular article as set forth in claim 1 wherein theends of said transverse single rail members penetrate the spacingbetween each pair of said spaced and parallel rail members, saidparallel spaced members being connected thereat.
 4. A modular article asset forth in claim 1 wherein the single transverse rail members and theconnected spaced and parallel rail members have substantially sametransverse cross-sectional dimensions intermediate the ends thereof andare rectangular in cross-section and wherein the ends of said singlerail members penetrate the spacing between each pair of said spaced andparallel rail members, said parallel spaced members being connectedthereat.
 5. A modular article as set forth in claim 1 wherein saidjointing means comprises aligned grooves on opposite faces of theparallel rail members.